Disc Jockey News JULY 2018 • Issue #150
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PAGE 2 • Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018
It Is A Traveling Experience By Mike Walter
This article was inspired by two events. First, my wife, Kelly, and I had a fantastic vacation in late May. We spent a dozen days circumnavigating Iceland; seven of them while camping in a van. It was a bit outside of my comfort level (when I travel, my definition of “roughing it” is a hotel without room service) but overall it was awesome. If you follow me on social media, you probably got sick of seeing pictures of waterfalls and glaciers. My apologies. The other event was Anthony Bourdain’s suicide. To say it was a shock to me is an understatement. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched Parts Unknown and thought, “How do I get that guy’s life?” The man got to travel, eat incredible food, meet and interview fascinating people and get paid to do it! I don’t understand depression, and I’ll never understand someone taking their own life, so all I can do is urge anyone who has thoughts of suicide to seek help. Store 1-800-273-8255 (the na-
tional suicide prevention hotline) in your phone and call it should your thoughts ever get that bad. But this article isn’t about the end of Bourdain’s life. It’s about what he’s famous for. And it’s about something I love. And it’s about something I hope you do from time to time: Travel. In my humble opinion, there are few pleasures as great as traveling. And it’s something I urge you to make a priority in your life. And with our chosen careers, that can be a challenge. One of the most significant issues we face is blocking time off. If we’re popular, it means our calendar gets filled. Early. So now is not the time to think about getting away this fall. It’s too late. You’ll wind up taking the kind of vacation I did for years: Monday through Thursday. And you’re sort of limited with how far you can go when you’ve only got four days to do it. I’ve already got dates blocked off in 2019 and 2020 and when I say dates blocked, I mean, brace yourself, two consecutive weekends!!! Now, you don’t have to do that. You can block off one weekend and still, theoretically have a ten to twelve day vacation. But in my opinion, taking two consecutive weekends off gives you the most flexibility and longest possible trip. The next big question you have to ask yourself is what kind of vacation do you want? There are two main kinds, and they make a huge difference. Do you
Focus On Your Strengths By Tamara Sims
As we continue our busy wedding season, it is easy to feel stressed out and overworked. We often juggle too many balls in the air, and some are certain to fall. If we weren’t successful, we wouldn’t care or worry, right? With so much negativity in the world, we need to focus on the positive. Ask yourself this question: What do you do to get through a difficult day or week? It’s a tough one to answer, right? Have you ever thought about what makes you and your business successful? Have you ever taken the time to write down your strengths and actually be proud of your achievements? We spend so much time beating ourselves up if we make a mistake or if we don’t close a sale and we don’t spend enough time celebrating our accomplishments. I have a notebook that is seven years old (yes, an actual paper notebook!) that I use to write in and reflect on my strengths. This past week I found myself having a tough time connecting with two potential phone leads. They were great leads, but for whatever reason, I was unable to close either of them. So instead of “whoa is me” I opened up that notebook from 2011, read aloud my strengths and started harnessing positive energy.
Focusing on what’s ahead is so important, but often difficult to do. You can only look where you are going. Ever see a bird look over its shoulder? Nope. There’s only one way to go. Straight ahead. Our keys to success include the ability to accept failure, admitting our weaknesses, celebrating our strengths, trusting our gut when something doesn’t feel right, building relationships and doing what we do best to create events that leave lasting impressions on our clients. So whenever you feel like you are having a tough day or week, whether in business or life, always reflect back on your strengths and how you got to
want to relax and chill or do you want to see as much as you can see in your allotted time? I’m sure many people would look at the itinerary of our trip to Iceland and think, “no way!” Kelly and I were moving every day, driving from one spot to another then hiking to see a waterfall or an amazing rock formation. Kelly’s Fitbit tells us we averaged almost seven miles of walking/hiking each day. And sure we chilled in some geothermal pools and relaxed with some wine and cheese at the end of each day, but trust me; we earned those respites! So did we come back from Iceland relaxed? Definitely not in the way that a week at a beach resort will relax you! But it’s the type of vacation we enjoy. And that’s a critical question to ask yourself before you decide to go. Do you want to stare at your toes all week while overlooking a beautiful beach or pool? Or do you want to see and experience some new cultures? Both vacations have their advantages, but they are very different. And the final factor, of course, is cost. Travel is rarely cheap. Sure there are ways to make your dollar stretch more, and you can find tips about that all over the web. But when I travel, I consider it a luxury and so I’m willing to spend a bit more. I don’t fly first class and stay in five-star hotels, but I also don’t count every penny because I want to experience everything I possibly can and sometimes that means spending a bit more. So just
like preparing for a vacation by blocking days off, I prepare for a vacation by saving up. For the past year I put some money aside (often my gratuities from my events), so when it came time for vacation, I had the money. In fact, for
where you are now. It will no doubt raise your spirits and get you ready for the next challenge. Please feel free to share your comments with me at: tamarasims@discjockeynews.com or tamara@something2dance2.com Tamara is the Director of Sales and
Marketing for Something 2 Dance 2 DJ Entertainment in Schaumburg, IL, which she proudly owns along with her husband Jay Sims. She has over 20 years experience in the wedding industry and loves creating wonderful wedding memories for her brides and grooms.
years I’ve done this quirky thing that I only discovered recently; I’m not alone in doing. I used to hate when I came back from vacation and then opened my next credit card statement and got a little sticker shock. I hated that my last impression of a trip was cutting a huge check to Chase. So years ago, right before a vacation, I pre-paid my credit card approximately what I thought I’d spend while I was away. I was much happier coming home and receiving a credit card statement in the mail that didn’t make my hands shake. So I’ve continued the tradition, and this year I did pretty good at estimating. When I got my credit card statement after Iceland, I had a $28 credit! You don’t have to go to that extreme, but I will tell you this: paying for a vacation from surplus and not from credit makes it much more enjoyable. Knowing that every hotel you stay in and meal Mike Walter Continued On Page 4
JULY 2018 In This Issue:
Page 2: Mike Walter Page 2: Tamara Sims Page 4: Mitch Taylor Page 6: Ron Ruth Page 6: Brian Kelm www.discjockeynews.com www.djntv.com 29442 120th St. Grey Eagle, MN 56336 Phone: 320-285-2323 Published by The Disc Jockey News
Editor/Educational Production Manager/ Sales For DJNews and DJNTV John Young john@discjockeynews.com 320-285-2323 office 612-597-4499 cell
Page 8: Alan Berg Page 9: Rob Ferre Page 10: Keith KoKoruz Page 11: Mike Lenstra Page 12: Joe Bunn
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Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018 • Page 3
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PAGE 4 • Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018
Get Out Of Your Sell
an elderly lady at a table in the very back row of a VERY crowded venue space while the other guests were making their way to the buffet line. I went over to her, and I said “Ma’am did you need me to get you a plate of something to eat? Is someone taking care of you?” She told me that her son was and I asked her if she had any requests, and she said she wanted to hear some Frank Sinatra, so I went back to my booth and played it for her. She smiled and nodded at me as Ol Blue Eyes began to play for the next song. All this required from me was to get out beyond my booth and make a difference (albeit small) in the life of a guest at the event. You can’t be confined to your workspace. You need to get out and interact and connect with the people at your event. If you don’t connect with the people, you might as well have put on a Spotify playlist or auto mixed the entire set along with a recording of your voice and called it a night.
So why is this article titled Get Out Of Your Sell? Well, too often we get focused in on what we THINK we are selling. We THINK we are selling music, or coordination, or speakers, or sound reinforcement or Master of Ceremonies services. The reality is we’re not. Those are things that we offer and what the client may THINK they are buying, but the reality is we are selling an experience. A transfer of emotion. A feeling (or many). Get out of your SELL and get into the emotion of what they want. It USED TO BE that clients wanted formalities, many times now that is not the case. More and more DJs are reporting that the client just wants you to rock their dance floor and basically not screw it up. While in some ways that makes me sad, you must adapt in business, or you’ll go the way of the dinosaur and become extinct. Ray Davies of the Kinks said, “Give the people what they want.” Truer words in sales have never been spoken. Has your past mindset and putting your head down killed your opportunity for current growth? Are you not keeping up with the trends? Ask a local venue or
you shouldn’t think of them as similar or having the same effect on your overall well-being and life enjoyment. Because in the end, that’s what vacations are. They enhance your life. They allow you to break out of your daily routine and experience something new and exciting. These non-work trips are something that will leave an indelible mark on you. I will never forget some of the sites Kelly and I saw in Iceland or some of the great people we met. This includes some of the meals we cooked up on our little burner in the van. From prior vacations, I will never forget how raucous the beer tents in Munich were during Oktoberfest. Or how awesome the pubs in Ireland are. Or how confusing the narrow streets of Tangier were. These are experiences I would never have had if I hadn’t planned
and made travel a priority. If you already do, then I hope this article serves as a friendly reminder. Where are you going next? Hope it’s someplace exciting! But if you haven’t in the past, I hope this article will serve as a friendly kick in the butt to try it. Get out a globe right now and give it a spin. As Tom Petty sang, it’s “a great big world with lots of places to run to.” Safe travels! Mike Walter is the owner of Elite Entertainment of New Jersey and a nationally recognized expert in the area of multisystem company development and staff training. You can contact Mike at mikewalter@ discjockeynews.com.
By Mitch Taylor
Your DJ booth sometimes confines you to the mix, head down, focusing on what you’re doing there. That doesn’t help you see the bigger picture of what is happening around you. You may look up and realize no one’s dancing. Guests aren’t paying attention to the music or the mix. That’s OK. We’ve all probably been there at least once in our DJ career. The point is you shouldn’t stay there, or at least you shouldn’t if you want to be successful. Let me give you an example. At a recent wedding, I got out and talked to Mike Walter Continued From Page 2 you eat is already accounted for, and won’t cost you triple because you’re going to pay it off on your credit card over the next ten months at 20% interest, is
a good thing and makes a vacation a lot more enjoyable. So prepare and save! I hope you notice I haven’t mentioned business travel in this article. It’s not the same thing. I go to tons of DJ conventions every year, and I’m a big proponent of them. But work travel and vacations are two different things, and
event pro about a cause near and dear to their heart. What can you do together to collaborate and give back to that cause? After your brainstorm session, go out and follow through and create the event and post the success on social media from it. I did this recently with a fellow event pro, and you’ll be amazed at the ways this kind of good collaboration can come back to you in opportunities you may have never expected. It doesn’t matter what the latest trends are as long as you connect with the heart and genuinely care for your client needs. Get out of your sell and STOP selling and start helping. Mitch Taylor is an 18 year veteran of the mobile disc jockey industry, starting out on the cruise ships of Carnival Cruise Lines. He is a member of the American Disc Jockey Association. Mitch owns and operates Taylored Entertainment in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and can be reached at 906.786.6967 or via email at mitchtaylor@discjockeynews.com.
Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018 • Page 5
PAGE 6 • Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018
Lessons In Customer Experience: Establishing A Culture By Ron Ruth
Little 3-year old “Emily” was riding in the seat of the grocery cart that her mom was pushing at their neighborhood grocery store when they rounded the end of one aisle to make their way up another. The cart suddenly stopped, jolting Emily. Her mom narrowly avoided a collision with another shopper’s cart. Emily’s mom was quick to offer an apology and moved on. But, as they took a couple steps down the aisle, Emily said something she’d heard her mom say plenty when she was frustrated with drivers… “Butthead,” Emily said emphatically. Embarrassed, Emily’s mom felt extremely fortunate they were out of earshot of the other shopper. As a divorced father when my son was very young, I can remember times when he shared with the world something he had picked up from watching or listening to me. I don’t think that there is a parent alive who can’t remember a time when they were unexpectantly embarrassed by something one of their young children said or did at the most inopportune time. That embarrassment becomes even harder to bear when we, as parents, also realize that whatever our child said or did was a repeat of something they had previously learned from us. Hence the expression, “little pitchers have big ears.” A reminder that as parents, or adults in general, we must be aware of who is watching us at all times because there’s a strong possibility that a little someone will quickly pick up on our behavior and language. That’s the way it is with kids. They learn from observing the actions of others. As parents or guardians, we set the tone for the culture in which our kids are raised. That culture, the shared values and beliefs of the family, and respect for one another are what they will take with them into the outside world beyond the boundaries of the home. But, actions are stronger than words and a family’s culture is ultimately reinforced by the day to day, hour to hour and minute to minute example a parent sets through their personal behavior. After all, family culture is established from the top down. The culture of a company or business is formed in much the same way as it is within a family unit. The behavior, attitude, and actions of staff members will mirror that of the company leaders. Bruce Jones, Senior Programming Director, for the Disney Institute agrees. Writing for the Harvard Business Review, Mr. Jones says, “Leaders must be intentional, proactive, and authentic when it comes to fostering an environment that supports the culture they want to cultivate in their workplace. Why? Because if leaders are not purposeful, the organization’s culture can become a “culture by default,” often dictated by the current workplace environment.” He adds, “One can have an innovative culture, a creative culture, or even a toxic culture, and it likely stems from the behavior and actions demonstrated by the leaders of the organization.” It all boils down to one vital mes-
sage for you as a business owner or as the leader of an organization. To avoid embarrassing moments that can severely damage your company’s reputation as a brand, it’s imperative to be deliberate in how you define and shape a culture that establishes values and a structure that support your business goals. And then, to influence others to follow your direction, lead by example. Treat your employees with the same respect, dignity, and care as you’d like them to show towards each other and your customers. As it is with family culture, behavior has a trickledown effect. When your staff feels appreciated and cared for they are more likely to reciprocate through respect and appreciation of each other. They’ll also convey that same respect, care, and appreciation to your customers. If you are a sole proprietor without a staff, then the burden is on you to create an environment that mirrors the culture of your business so your customers will feel like more than just a transaction. Sir Richard Branson, the founder of the Virgin Group, which controls more than 400 companies built around happy workforces, says, “Your employees are your company’s real competitive advantage. They’re the ones making the magic happen–so long as their needs are being met.” You’d be hard-pressed to find fault with that bold statement. As a matter of fact, research indicates that satisfied employees are more productive, more efficient, will work harder, contribute more, and have better attendance records. When entrusted with the power of autonomy, they’ll also feel appreciated and be more loyal. A notable example of Branson’s business philosophy can be seen in practice at one of my new, favorite shopping spots called Five Below. Five Below is one of the fastest growing retailers in the country with more than 630 stores in 32 states. According to the Five Below website, the company also expects to cut the ribbon on approximately 125 new stores in 2018. That’s an impressive goal for a company that sells everything in its stores for $5.00 or less. Unlike a lot of deep discount stores, Five Below stores are a vibrant, colorful and high-energy destination that are also immaculate and well organized. When customers enter the store, the cashier is quick to greet them with a very warm and genuine, “Welcome to Five Below.” The manager is always in view of the customers, typically stocking or sorting the shelves. If you need help finding an item, there’s a team member nearby to help you find it. If you decide to return the item after the purchase, the cashier will happily (literally) refund it with no questions asked. Each store employs a Customer Experience Manager (CEM) whose primary responsibility is to promote a work environment that will “Wow the Customer” and “make a difference in the lives of others.” I have no idea what the employees of Five Below get paid per hour or what benefits they may or may not receive. But it’s clear through their smiles and attitude that they are emulating a company culture that is focused on the happiness and wellbeing. Their focus on culture is not just that of the customer, but of the company’s workforce
and the community; raising substantial sums of money for charities with missions focusing on kids. The top-down adherence to that win-win-win, workplace environment at Five Below is why it has become a regular occurrence for their team members to be engaged and proactive at delivering extraordinary experiences that
transform casual shoppers like me into loyal, raving fans. A fan who is now enthusiastically sharing the story of the customer experiences I’ve enjoyed with all of you. As a business owner/leader, the delivery of extraordinary customer experiences begins with you and the shared values and beliefs of the people within your organization. Much like a parent, you are the most visible and most looked to example setter for the culture you want your “family” to project. That culture is solidified through your behav-
ior and attitude---always respecting that “actions speak louder than words.” In the words of Simon Sinek, “There are only two ways to influence human behavior: you can manipulate it, or you can inspire it.” Employees who perform at the highest level within your organization are inspired by a cause bigger than employment---they feel a sense of purpose, they feel secure, and they feel that they can genuinely make a positive difference in the lives of others. That’s a culture that promotes employee engagement, value, and respect. Those individuals aren’t motivated to “WOW” your customers through extraordinary experiences solely out of respect for your business. They also do it out of respect for the culture and “family” unit where they feel they belong. If you promote a culture that encourages and inspires everyone to deliver their best work, you’ll find that they will. Ron Ruth has been on the front lines of weddings celebrations for over 25 years as a Disc Jockey and certified, Wedding Entertainment Director®. He’s a well-known speaker and workshop facilitator in the DJ and wedding industries, a client experience designer and coach and a self-described Disney “Geek.” Get Ron’s FREE e-book, “The Client Experience Demystified” at RonRuth.com. You can reach Ron at 816-224-4487 or RonRuth@DiscJockeyNews.com
Playing It Safe IS Your Enemy! By Brian Kelm
When you love something, you go all in and give it all you got each and every day! It’s 100% or nothing in every moment in all you do. These days, it’s so easy to hang out, watch what others are doing, and not take any action or determine where you want to be and who you want to serve. If you want to have the potential for success and to be perceived as different than others by your prospective customers/customers, you need to step away from the masses and do your own thing. A part of this is disrupting your comfort zone and expanding to live outside of it. The best inventors and achievers the world has ever known lived outside their comfort zone. They went there to make a difference and see something that wasn’t possible in their comfort zone and who they were at that time. Do something every day that challenges and scares you! Putting yourself out there, going to conferences, training, workshops, networking with others in your market, and creating your niche in the market is all done by challenging the standard, being different, and filling a need proactively without waiting for it to happen. Success will never show up at your doorstep; you have to go out, hustle, grind
out long days, and make it happen – all done outside of who you know yourself to be. The industry needs more leaders and people to step-up and commit to a higher level. Remember, we are the industry on a daily basis, and no powers at be are going to swoop down with a magic wand. Choose your success, desire, and passion by what you put in, the consistent actions you take, and how bad you want it. Committing to a higher level is an individual decision and commitment first, then it extends out to helping and making a difference for others. We all have to pay our dues in the industry at one moment in time or another. So why not embody that right away, take a stand, and expand who you know yourself to be? Take risks, don’t wait to make things happen, maintain your hunger, passion, drive, and desire for the way your business, success, and industry can be. All of these things are outside of the norm – waiting, seeing what happens, and not taking ownership. Be the leader and contribution you never knew you could be to yourself, company, community, and industry! Brian Kelm, CWEP, CGWP, WED Guild is a 25+ year wedding entertainment and planning professional that has been all over the United States. Based in Wisconsin. Serving Anywhere. He can be reached at briankelm@discjockeynews.com
Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018 • Page 7
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PAGE 8 • Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018
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Have you ever been to Disneyland or Walt Disney World? If you have, then the sound of animatronic characters singing “It’s a Small World” is resonating in your head. Sorry, but that was my thought when I was reflecting on a great conference in Mexico where I recently presented. It was attended by people from over 70 countries; the bringing together of all of these people is what made me think of how small the world really has become. The attendees were some of the top wedding planners from their areas. Many of them have celebrity and high-profile, very affluent clients. To be invited to the conference, they had to apply and be accepted. Needless to say, I was in quite impressive company. I was pleased, but a little surprised to see so many of these top planners in my breakout session on communicating with prospects. We’re not so different, you and I As I got to meet the attendees, it became very clear that there were so many differences in the weddings they plan, but also so many similar business concerns. Regardless of how successful they were, they were still running businesses, and many businesses face common challenges. One of those challenges is that every few years it feels like the market changes. The way couples communicate changes. New technologies appear, and it’s tough to keep up. What I’ve found from my travels – speaking in 12 countries- is that we have a lot in common. People ask me all the time, what I change in my presentations, from country to country. The answer is – not much. I don’t present on weddings, or events. I present on business, to people like you, who do weddings and events. The 4 Steps to More Sales What I’ve found is that weddings are very different around the US, and around the world, but the basics of business – and selling – are the same. There are four steps to getting more sales: Get their attention – if they don’t know you exist, you can’t possibly do business with them. There are many ways for them to find out about you: advertising, referrals, social media, email marketing, etc. Get the inquiry (or enquiry, as they say outside of the US) – once they know you exist, you need to get them to email, call, text, fill out your contact form, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, etc. You want them to start a conversation with you with their inquiry. If you’re cold-calling or emailing to a list of people who haven’t yet expressed interest, then you’re the one starting the conversation; but, until they reply to your message, there’s really no conversation going on – yet. Continue the conversation, or have an appointment – I used to say that #3 was, “Get the Appointment”; but these days you can have a good con-
By Alan Berg
versation, and even make the sale, without meeting them in person (or through Skype/FaceTime/Google Hangout, etc.) This is where you build rapport, create a relationship and gain their trust. Get the sale – regardless of whether you make the sale through email, on the phone, or in person, asking for the sale is your responsibility. The four words that will help you do more business are: Ask For The Sale. For many of you, it’s as simple as that. You just need to ask for the sale sooner, and more frequently, if you want to do more weddings and events. We’re all in this together What I’ve found to be the most common issues for wedding and event pros around the world, is that it’s pretty easy to get into the industry; the barrier to entry is pretty low. If you want to be a wedding planner, in most places you can just call yourself a wedding planner. If you want to be a wedding photographer, again, in most places there are no licenses or tests to take. It’s the same for most categories. That same, low barrier to entry that allowed you to start your business, also allows new competitors to start theirs. That’s one of the most common complaints – “There are so many new competitors, and they are charging a lot less than we do.” What’s funny – at least to me – is that many of the people making that complaint started in their industry as the new, lower-priced competitor. They’re just the younger version of you! Where’s your business education? While the low barrier to entry makes it easy to get into the industry, it does nothing to prepare you for the realities of business. Unless you’re opening a venue or another business with high capital investment, it’s very likely that you have little, or no, experience running a business. The skills that make you great at being a DJ, or florist, or officiant, are very different from those that are needed to start and run a successful business. That’s actually how I got started giving presentations. When I was publishing wedding magazines, I would hold small workshops for my advertisers so they would learn the business skills they needed to stay in business. If they went out of business, I lost an advertiser. Fast-forward to today, and as I travel around the country, and around the world, not much has changed in this regard. Every day talented people begin new businesses, ill-equipped for what lies ahead. I love their passion, as I do yours, whether you’ve been at this for weeks, years or decades. And, no matter where you are in your business’ life cycle, just be sure to hone your business skills – along with your creative ones – so you can share your passion, and talent with more customers. The world may be small, but the potential is limitless. Cue the music, “It’s a small world after all. It’s a small world after all…” Alan Berg has been called “North America’s Leading Expert and Speaker on the Business of Weddings and Events”. Find out more about his speaking, website reviews, consulting, books, DVDs and audio presentations at http://www.AlanBerg.com - email or call Alan, 732.422.6362
Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018 • Page 9
The Photobooth Section Are You an Entertainer or an Entrepreneur? Who gets the question from people you just met or haven’t seen in a long time, “What do you do for a living?” I often have to pause and think about what is it I do for a living? It’s a simple question but often a complicated answer for me. I could say “I am a DJ!” which I am proud of but I am more than just that. I’m a business owner, I’m an MC (or is it Emcee? I’ll address that in another article), I design events, I collaborative creative consultant (that’s my favorite), I’m a speaker, I’m an entertainer, I’m an entrepreneur, I’m an avid student of performance and business. You get it, we all wear a lot of hats. That’s why it’s sometimes hard to focus on all of them. I can tell you this, I am an entertainer first, entrepreneur second. I got into the DJ business not because I wanted to run a business because it was a platform for me to perform in front of audiences and share my passion for music and dance. I imagine we have all come to the DJ industry in a variety of ways, but once we get here, we must focus on the things we do best. People sometimes ask me “what is my secret sauce?” and it is always hard to give a short answer because I know I never did it on my own. I always have had people to support me and help me because they believed in me. I believe in you, and I think you can be the best. So what is my secret sauce? Well, I like to share them as four ingredients of my business that will create a recipe for success. The ingredients are: 1. Operations 2. Opportunities 3. Performance 4. Education First, operations. I’ll start with this one because it is not necessarily the thing that gets me all excited and jazzed to go to work when I wake up in the morning. I don’t wake up saying “I’m so excited for payroll!” But operations are essential to getting the business to function. In recent years I have started to delegate the tasks I don’t do very well and know someone can take that off my plate. The first task I hired out years ago was the accounting. I wanted a professional to care for the numbers and make sure taxes are paid. Next, I
hired an assistant two years ago to start taking care of daily tasks I was to busy to focus on like contracts, client payments, scheduling consultations and editing this article for example. While I am away at a networking event or a performance she can still take care of the operations. But all these tasks are essential to run a business. Second, Opportunities. Instead of sales, I thought it would be appropriate to use the word opportunities because every lead, every networking event, our branding, our website, our marketing leads to opportunities to perform. I’m not passionate about sales, but I am passionate about relationships. Instead of focusing on the sales and numbers, focus on creating more opportunities to perform. Sales is what comes after you have done all the work to set you up as the solution to their problems. When people say “I need a DJ, I need someone to provide top-notch audio for my event, I need someone to keep the dance floor packed,” they think of you. That is why personal brand on Facebook, Instagram, and in person are consistent. People rather work with someone they know like and trust. That is why we keep politics and religion out of interactions unless we share similar beliefs. I love going to networking events and creating new friendships. I don’t go to these events to give out my card but rather to know more about the people I meet. I look for ways to serve them, and it’s not saying, “keep me in mind for your next event!” I serve but connecting them with other people or providing them solutions. Focus on opportunities because if you do, you will create more opportunities to work and help your business thrive. Third, Performance. I love performing, and I love being in front of an audience. This is where I can start wearing my entertainer’s hat. What goes into my performance also are the tools in my toolbox, and that includes gear. DJs love their gear, and they love to get the latest and greatest. They also love to get latest and greatest music. When that new song is released, or the new remix comes out, I am very eager to test it out on the dance floor. Our gear, our precisely timed music is what fills dance floors and keeps people wanting us to come back for more. I also believe the way we dress, groom ourselves, and interact with guests is a part of our performance. Which is why I am blown away that some performers wear the same tuxedo they got in the 1990s to their performances. Props to you if you can still fit in something from 20 years ago. But
are you still using the same gear from 20 years ago? Using the same software from 10 years ago? We love updated software, we love upgraded equipment, we should update our look and be fresh. Which leads me to our performance on the mic and music. Having new fresh routines that don’t seem dated will help or performances stand out. How do we make our performances stand out? I’ll tell you in my next pillar. Last, Education. When it comes to education, it takes all sorts of forms for example conferences, symposiums, coaching, training, and workshops. It also comes in forms of books, youtube videos and stellar publications like Pro Mobile. I am a sucker for education, and it is what keeps me innovating and being unique in my market. I don’t understand when people say, “I’ve learned everything I need to know, I’m good.” You may be good, but that’s all you’ll ever be. The conferences I’ve attended have introduced me to DJs in the industry who have done it all before and are wanting us to learn from their mistakes. They are also teaching me new techniques and methodology that I doubt I could come up on my own. But this education has help seed my own innovation and creativity like the Entertainment Experience. The workshops from
By Rob Ferre
Marbecca have propelled me into a path of becoming a professional conference and corporate Master of Ceremonies. Education gave me the opportunity to share what I have learned from other DJs. Education will only propel you to become more and the best. When it comes to being an entrepreneur or entertainer, don’t take sides but embrace what you do well to become more. I never thought I could run a small business successfully for 11 years and win regional awards for it either. I didn’t get in the business to win awards but to serve people and perform. But it’s nice to know I can be recognized for my efforts. I know you as a business owner and entertainer will take strides when you apply the knowledge you have gained to build your DJ business. My challenge to you is that you find tasks to delegate, create new opportunities, continually update your performance and keep educating yourself because it won’t be long until everyone wants to know what is your secret sauce. You can connect with him at RobFerre@discjockeynews.com.
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PAGE 10 • Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018
If You Aren’t Growing, You Are Dying By Keith ‘KC’ KoKoruz
When I started in business in the late 80’s, we as an industry were first dipping our toes in the water of what comprised a mobile entertainment business. Placing ads in the phone book was a necessity. Having a booth at a bridal show was a necessity. Having ads in the local wedding magazine was a necessity. These were all necessities if you wanted to grow a sizeable multi-op DJ company. The phone books are all but gone and have been replaced by Google via a smartphone, tablet, or computer. Bridal shows are alive and well; however, they compete daily with the information available to today’s wedding couples online. Having an ad in a wedding magazine is now more of a branding tool than a sales generator. Everything about how we used to market our company has changed. The way that we as consumers shop have also changed. When I started djing, I spun vinyl. We supplemented our systems with a cassette tape deck and a cd player until we migrated to CDs and a dual cd player and then eventually a laptop. I’m not trying to bore anyone with my trip down memory lane, but I wanted to give quick examples of how quickly things have changed in just 20 years. What is always amazing to me is how resistant to
change so many people can be, myself included at times. I remember hearing the phrase, “If you aren’t growing you are dying” at a seminar years ago, and it has always stuck with me. If you look at what is happening and has happened to iconic businesses today, you can see which companies have evolved and which have died. Toys R Us, Borders, Tower Records, and Blockbuster, for example, did not evolve and instead they have died. Brands however like Apple, Victoria’s Secret, and Lego have embraced change as well as technology and continue to grow by offering new products and services all based around client needs. Younger brands like Netflix, Starbucks, Progressive Insurance, PayPal, and Amazon are a product of technology and continue to grow by leaps and bounds by their use of technology and their choice to not only embrace change but to create it. Years ago, if I purchased a product and it was shipped to me, I would get it in 6-8 days. If I got it in 6 days, I was thrilled. Today waiting six days for a product to be shipped to a consumer is considered horrific service. Amazon changed the way that we shop online more so than any other company in existence today. I am a big fan of education and just about the time that a DJ conference is about to happen, someone will post on a DJ related social media group page about the show. Without fail, a member of that group will make a comment about how they have been in business for 100 years and have never “had” to attend a show and how they don’t see the need. As I read the comments on a post like this, I realize that the DJ that doesn’t see the need to attend a conference is most likely doing business the same that they always have. They are also most likely entertaining the exact same way as well. There is also the possibility that they will be the Toys R Us of
the DJ industry. The question that I have for everyone reading this article is this, how has your business and/or performance evolved in the past 12 months, last three years, last five years, etc. How often do you update your website, demo videos, marketing materials, performance style, etc.? As you read this, it is easy to think back to your last event where the wedding couple hugged you, tipped you and even wrote a positive review about you. However, in today’s over-saturated wedding industry, this isn’t enough any longer. The best companies in business today are the ones that are forward thinkers and are investing in tomorrow while also exceeding client expectations today. I have had the pleasure of meeting thousands of DJs across the world over the years, and I always hear the same thing from everyone at lunches or dinners, “I give my clients the best service of anyone in my market.” I love this, and I want to know more so I naturally ask what precisely do they do? Inevitably, the person who said it couldn’t put into words the specific customer service techniques that they use to give their clients a better experience. They love to use buzzwords like custom, attention to detail, etc. but they fail to show an actual example. If answering your phone or returning an email from your phone immediately is an example of exceptional service, you need to rethink what great customer service really is. I would strongly recommend that everyone who reads this, visits a very high-end hotel or restaurant. You don’t need to spend the night at the hotel or have an expensive dinner, but if you have a drink or an appetizer, you will see how detailed the service is generally. There are exceptions to every rule but hotels like a Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons, or a restaurant like Morton’s or Ruth Chris will demonstrate genuinely exceptional service and a specific style in the process. Take in the experience and then think to yourself how you can be evolving your service as
well. I recently spoke to a DJ who told me that he is emailing his wedding couples a pdf of their wedding forms to fill out and then meeting with the client three weeks before the wedding to go through the details. When I pressed him as to why he responded that way, he said he felt that online planning tools were cold. I asked him how warm and fuzzy his pdfs being mailed were. I also pointed out that the couple also now needs to print them and hand write everything. If they make a mistake or want to change something, it is a hassle on a printed pdf whereas, with an online form, they can simply hit backspace and fix it and save it. I also asked him the most important question which was what did his wedding couples feel was more convenient for them? He said he had never thought about it that way. I meet DJs who purchase lighting for their company based on what is the most cost-effective for them, small enough for their vehicle and is the easiest to set up as opposed to what looks best on a dance floor to create the best atmosphere for dancing. This is also why so many photographers ask DJs to turn off their lights during a first dance because if they don’t, the bride will have green laser dots on their forehead in all their pictures. When you break down all the practices of your company, are you doing what is best for the client or what is easiest for you as the business owner? Are you doing the same thing you were doing ten years ago? How are you embracing technology to make your customer’s experience better? What innovations have you made with your company to give the client the best experience possible? With weddings being the largest market for the DJ industry, I will end with these facts; the number of marriages happening in this country is at a 100 year low. At the same time, there is more competition than there ever has been in the past. Are you or is your company growing or dying? KC can be reached at KC@discjockeynews.com.
Beats, Secret Codes, and F-Bombs By Michael J. Lenstra
This month, I thought I’d share a few of my thoughts on several different topics. BEATS The past few months I’ve been trying to get this beat mixing thing down. At onetime beat mixing was something primarily found in the club scene, whereas mobile DJs that predominantly did weddings, corporate parties, or school dances traditionally played songs from the beginning to end. The only “mixing” that was required was to follow one good song with another to keep the energy level up and the dance floor packed. That trend seems to be shifting, though, as more mobile DJs are bringing beat mixing to the forefront at their events. In May many of them showed off their mixing skills at Big Ron’s Second Annual Spin-Off as part of Midwest DJs Live in Milwaukee. I have to say; I was impressed with some of the mash-ups. Good stuff. With the help of Virtual DJ tutorials, YouTube, and Michael Joseph’s Music and Mixing Show on DJNTV, I’ve picked up enough to experiment and put some mixes together, which I think have been pretty decent—or at least they’ve worked on the dance floor. Learning these techniques was a necessity to evolve as a DJ, I told myself. However, that was before I recently met with a client about her upcoming wedding. As she handed me her itinerary and music list, she had a question for me: “Will you play the whole song?” She then explained,
“We were at a wedding, and every time we would hear a song that we liked and put down our drinks to go out and dance, the DJ would cut to a different song. It got quite irritating.” It was not the first time I had heard that. My colleague, Chris Feldman, was at an eighties night awhile back and encountered the same thing. He told me, “The dance floor started filling up pretty quickly once people heard the opening riffs of a familiar song, but by the time they got out there and started getting into it, only 90 seconds or so, the DJ changed course into another song. Once people got into that one, he moved on to another. After several switches, there were some people getting ready to boo the DJ.” Chris also noted that the DJ at his niece’s recent wedding did a bit of that medley making, too. His sister-inlaw’s comment was, “That DJ did a great job overall, but that one part where all the songs mixed together was kind of weird. Why didn’t he just play each song?” I have to ask, then, is this mixing thing something our clients truly want or now expect from us, or is it more a measuring stick that some DJs use to compare themselves with other DJs? A few years back the trend that kept showing up in chat rooms and discussions was that “everyone wants an interactive DJ. You’re not a REAL DJ if you’re not playing games at your events, or you’re not leading or teaching the line dances.” Since that’s not exactly come to pass, is the measuring stick now beat mixing? The way I see it, as far as what qualifies someone as “a real DJ,” I’d say looking at one’s bookings and bottom line is a better indicator of whether that person is a quality DJ than how skilled he or she is at mixing beats. It’s a nice skill to have, but it doesn’t seem to be essential to every situation. CODES Toward the end of the wedding season
Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018 • Page 11 last year I was in the middle of a real killer DJs, but it helps the couples, too. party. I noticed one guy in particular dancF-BOMBS ing right in front of me and seemingly havThe F-word. “The big one,” as the late ing a great time. At one point during one George Carlin described it in one of his of the songs I saw him scrolling through best-known comedy bits. “It’s the one that his phone. I figured maybe he was check- hangs them up the most. It’s a heavy. It’s ing the sports scores or keeping up on his the one we save for the end of an arguSnapchat notifications. As I finished out the ment. ‘Ah F you, you dumb F. F you and song he turned and marched right up to me, everybody that looks like you!’” showed me a song on his phone, and said, Yep, as Ralphie described it in the holi“Hey, the bride and groom just asked me to day classic A Christmas Story, it was “the have you play this song next.” queen mother of dirty words.” That may Dude, really? If he hadn’t been standing have been true back in Ralphie’s day, but right in front of me for the last 15 minutes, maybe not so much by today’s standards. his claim might have been a plausible stoLast year I began keeping track of the ry. In reality, though, he was close enough F-bomb’s appearance in my business interto me that I could reach over my facade actions. In no less than a half dozen conand touch him. He was nowhere near the sultations I had with couples, the F-bomb couple. Maybe it hit me the wrong way, or floated around among them like it was no maybe it was because, as mentioned in an more offensive than a “damn” or a “hell.” earlier column, my bedside manner at the And I have to ask, what is the point? It’s end of the wedding season is sometimes a something that Michael Buonaccorso, little less than it should be, but I just blurted co-founder of Mobile Beat Magazine, adout the first thing that popped into my head. dressed in the second edition of his book, “Really?” I asked. “What’s the code?” A Different Spin as he questioned the di“What?” he stammered. rection of our industries professionalism. “The code word,” I said. “The bride, “The 2013 Martin Scorsese film The groom, and I worked out a secret code Wolf of Wall Street has recorded a total of word so I knew if the people coming up 506 uses of the F-word in the three-hour and asking me for a request, telling me it movie.” Michael wrote. “It no longer carcame from the bride and groom, were legit. ries the depth of taboo attributed to it in It happens to us [DJs] all the time.” 1978 by George Carlin. How long will it You should have seen the look on his be before the DJ ‘... welcomes the f---ing face. He knew that he was busted. It’s new Mr. and Mrs. on this un-f---ing betrue—we DJs get the “bride wants this lievable evening!”? song” request about as often as some comI hope we never see that day. The way panies hear “The check is in the mail,” and I see it, you can still stand out among your it’s just about as truthful. But I seemed to profession while keeping it classy and hit upon a solution. I found the exchange making it fun. so humorous I shared it with a couple of Until next month. the guys who subcontract for me, and ~ Michael ~ we’ve used it ever since. Of course, we do Michael J. Lenstra is a self-described cue the couples in during our consultation Wedding DJ and is celebrating over 25 so they’re prepared if someone taps them years in the Mobile DJ industry. He is a on the shoulder and asks, “What’s the code full-time DJ/Entertainer, and is owner of word?” It works like a charm. I’ve shared Alexxus Entertainment in Dubuque, Iowa. that story with some that I’ve interviewed He can be reached at mikelenstra@discand I’ve seen other DJs mention a similar jockeynews.com trick on social media, so the word is spreading. The way I see it, it not only helps us as
PAGE 12 • Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018
Help! Social Media Is Overwhelming Me! By Joe Bunn
Fellow DJs, I’ll be honest with you, as a DJ company owner and self-professed lover of marketing, social media baffles the heck out of me. It is one of the things that I struggle with the most. If you are taking the time to read this article, I have a feeling you’re in the same boat as me. You post the perfect photograph with the most clever caption ever and…. nothing. A few likes, no comments, no engagement. What happened? Why? Don’t people like me? Don’t they like Bunn DJ Company? With ever changing algorithms and rules created by Instagram and other platforms, it’s tough to keep up. Hopefully, some of the tips I provide in this article will help you with your social media game, which in turn eventually leads to bookings! For most of this article, I am going to focus on Instagram because I truly feel like it’s your best chance of actually getting business. Gone are the days of social media being creating a Facebook company page, posting a couple of pics on the weekend and calling it a day. You’re going to have to try much harder than that if you want to gain traction in this realm of marketing. 1. Quality over quantity. Know this, you do NOT have to post a photo every day on Instagram to be successful. In fact, please don’t, I’ll unfollow you. Aim for 3-4 good ones a week, tops. If you get a bunch of great stuff from a local photographer, don’t spam people’s feeds by posting them all at once! Trickle them out over the next few weeks or months. Who knows when you’ll get more? You know how these photographers are! LOL. 2. Tag ‘em. When you do post on Instagram, remember to tag. Not only should you tag everyone that you can think of that was involved in that event (wedding planner, venue, your personal page, florist, transportation, of course photographer, etc.), but also make sure you geotag that photo. Add the location! You’ll be surprised at how many people search those tags to see photos of events at that particular venue. They just might run across you. 3. Hashtags kinda work. Listen, we have all heard about the importance of hashtags for years. It helps folks that might normally never find you in the endless sea of social media, locate you, and maybe even book you. I used to have a long list of 30 hashtags that I would copy and paste as the first comment in every photo I posted on the @bunndjco Instagram. Guess what? Instagram doesn’t like that and it could get you “shadowbanned” which is basically like blackballing your account so that it rarely shows up. My tip is to pick a few each time you post a photo that actually go along with what you’re posting. As you type a hashtag, Instagram will show you how many photos are out there using that tag. As a rule, if it’s in the millions, I wouldn’t use it. Try something more focused. So instead of #DJ, try #mobileDJ or #weddingDJ. 4. Call to action. I have come up with some genius captions over the years and had them fall flat! Why? I didn’t have a call to action with it. So when you write the caption, have a call to action. For example, “Bunn DJ Company is looking forward to a big weekend rocking weddings. What are you doing this weekend for fun?” or maybe “Double tap if you love doing ‘The Wobble’ at weddings!” You’ll immediately see that you get more likes when you write this way.
5. Make it social again! Sometimes we forget that it’s called “social” media. The point of facebook and any early social media platforms was to connect, make relationships, rekindle old friendships, etc. I think we have lost our way to be honest. You must connect with your followers! There are two ways of doing that. First, you need to spend a few minutes each day going through the people’s feeds that you follow and liking and commenting on their pictures! Don’t you think that will encourage them to do the same with yours? Also, if someone takes the time to comment on your photo, respond to them! Start a conversation! You know that the more likes and comments that your photo gets (especially right after posting), the higher it moves up on people’s feeds right? It truly works! Get those conversa-
tions going fast. Insider tip: Do you manage more than one account? Go to those other accounts and like the photo and comment from them as soon as you post! Do you have a staff? Have them turn on “post notifications” for your company page and strongly suggest that as soon as you post, you want them engaging! 6. Follower count doesn’t mean jack! I’ve seen a lot of DJs I know and follow with 10-20,000 followers. Maybe they’re real, maybe they aren’t. I can tell you this as someone that has done it, DON’T pay for followers or even pay for the services that do the aggressive following and unfollowing campaigns. Just don’t! You’re going to end up with a bunch of phony followers that will NEVER lead to business. They are called “click farms”. Don’t let vanity suck
you in. Maybe one day you will hit 10K, maybe not. I was there a year or so ago and went in and blocked all of those clown accounts. I’m back down to around 2,000 real followers now and I get around 150 likes and several comments on a photo. That’s a little under 10% engagement rate which is outstanding in this day and age. I could write for days on this subject and I’m still learning myself. I sit in on at least one webinar a week on this stuff and have even joined a membership site to learn more. Try some of the techniques above and let me know how it goes! Good luck! Joe Bunn is the co-founder of The PhDJ Workshop (www.pdhdjworkshop.com) and also the creator of the videos “Selling the Music” and “Marketing the Music” which can be found at djjoebunn.com.
Mistakes Are Opportunities To Learn
Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018 • Page 13
By Harvey Mackay
A young vice president was appointed by the board of directors of a bank to replace the retiring president and founder. With fear and trepidation, he made an appointment to visit with the seasoned retiree to seek his advice. “Mr. Clark, I need your counsel. How can I possibly be successful in this job?” The elderly man leaned forward in his chair. “ Yo u n g man,” he growled, “these two words are the key to your success – RIGHT DECISIONS!” “Thank you, sir. But how can I make sure I am making right decisions?” “Experience. Experience will ensure you make right decisions.” A long silence followed. “That is helpful,” said the young executive, “but how do I get the right experience?” The elderly man stood, looked him directly in the eye, smiled and responded, “WRONG DECISIONS.” This retiring president admitted to making mistakes and learned from them. I’ve discovered that the biggest mistake people can make is to be afraid to make one, and perhaps the next biggest is to be afraid to admit having made one. If you make a mistake, ‘fess up. Most of the time people respect those who take responsibility for their own mistakes. Regardless, you will be better off admitting it than spending consid-
erably more energy trying to avoid the subject. Everyone makes mistakes, after all, and if you take the time to learn from what went wrong, you’ll be a lot less likely to make the same mistake again. Be accountable. No one likes doing business with someone who makes excuses. If you don’t accept responsibility for the mistakes you make, you’ll lose customers and the trust and respect of employees. As Winston Churchill said, “If you simply take up the attitude of defending
failures are no big deal. Don’t lose hope or abandon your efforts, but be open about your feelings with yourself and other people. Author Mortimer Feinberg illustrated that point: “When John Kennedy lost a bid for the Democratic vice presidential nomination in 1956 to Estes Kefauver, he didn’t quit. He said, ‘Okay, now we know the mistakes we made; we know what we have to do to win. In 1960 we’ll go for the big job.’ The rest is history.” Once you make a mistake and admit
a mistake, there will be no hope of improvement.” Don’t waste time pretending you’ve still got a chance at success when your plans are crumbling around you. You’ve got to be hard-nosed about deciding where to put your resources, and coldblooded about pulling the plug on projects and goals that aren’t working out. Even geniuses must admit mistakes: Thomas Edison once spent more than $2 million on an invention that proved useless. In today’s dollars, we’re talking about serious money! Also, don’t downplay negative results. Some people try to act as if their
it, move on. Beating yourself up publicly or privately doesn’t do much good. You need to keep your focus and not get distracted when things go wrong. The great Babe Ruth held the record of 714 career home runs for years, but he also held the record for strikeouts at 1,330. Would he have been so successful if he had focused on the strikeouts every time he was up to bat? Above all, don’t blame others. Focus on solving problems, not finding someone or something to blame. Good managers (and employees) analyze what they did wrong and learn from it. When you take this tack with yourself, your
employees will be encouraged to learn to look objectively at their own performance. Remember the old proverb: stumbling is not falling. And falling does not have to mean failing. Most important, failure is not final. Christopher Columbus made the mother of all mistakes. When he set out in 1492 on his first trans-Atlantic voyage, he announced that he was going west to get to the east. He had plenty of skeptics but refused to be deterred. Other explorers had preceded his arrival in North America, but perhaps his biggest mistake was that Columbus never admitted that he had reached a continent previously unknown to Europeans, rather than the East Indies for which he had set course. Columbus always insisted that the lands that he visited during those voyages were part of the Asian continent. While not without controversy, Columbus’ “mistake” changed the course of Western history. Your mistakes will not likely have that kind of impact. Keep your mistakes in perspective so you can react to them appropriately. Mackay’s Moral: Mistakes can be steppingstones to success. Reprinted with permission from nationally syndicated columnist Harvey Mackay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller “Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive,” “We Got Fired!...And It’s the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us,” and “The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World.
PAGE 14 • Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018
Failure
By Dean C. Carlson So my girlfriend comes into my office the other day and notices that I have the word Failure written on my whiteboard. She said that’s not you, why do you have it there, to which I replied that it was an idea I had for my next article. A confused look came on to her face until I dove into the idea. When I grew up, there were winners and losers, and no one wanted to be a failure. My dad used to coach my little league baseball team, our colors were grey and yellow. We were the Gladstone Sluggers, and my dad was so proud of that name he had all our bright yellow hats initialed with the letters GS. We were bad news bears bad, so much so that not long after we received those prized hats from my dad, every other team looked at the initials and decided our real team name was the Girl Scouts. Our mindset as a culture has changed over the last 20-30 years, and although I don’t wish anyone the ridicule that we received for those hats, I also think we have lost the ability to learn, accept and grow from our failures. Thomas Edison once said “I have NOT failed. I have
found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Why are we afraid to fail? Well as my example above said it can hurt, and as DJs, our egos are already typically fragile. The fear of failure is so prevalent that it actually has a name, atychiphobia. Another reason DJs are afraid to fail is because we don’t practice enough, or we haven’t established a safe zone to foster failure. And finally, I am not sure people realize just how beneficial failing at something can actually be for your growth. So why and how are positive ways to fail as a DJ? First off you have all read me preach about taking workshops. Workshops differ from seminars in the way that workshops offer to place for practice, and seminars are for eating only. It cost me a lot of money before I learn how to utilize workshops to my advantage. Workshops also have facilitators, or as I like to call them my mentors. If for any reason you don’t like or can’t trust that person at the deepest gut level, then you won’t allow yourself the space to fail. They have to be able to point out those growth moments. In the last 5 years I have almost completely ceased going to conventions, and instead invested all of my learning dollars into workshops. It’s not to say I can’t learn things from seminars, but when I use failure as a proper tool, my learning turns into exponential growth. I had to drop my ego while doing workshops, not easy as a DJ. The first few times I was so worried about looking “professional” in front of my peers that I didn’t take the chances that would
allow me to fail and grow. When I finally started trying things in ways I had never done before, my growth skyrocketed. I taught a seminar a few years back where I incorporated some workshop elements. I got 20 DJs to cross 50 feet, each doing something different. Skipping, hopping, YMCAing… on and on it went until eventually, they couldn’t think of a new way to do it. Maybe 100 different ways. Well then, I offered $50 bucks for someone else to come up with
something new and different. Obviously, one did. The lesson here is that we limit the different ways one can accomplish a similar task, yet appropriately motivated there is far more available to us than we can imagine. “The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing, is nothing, and becomes nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow or love. Chained by his certitude, he is a slave; he has for-
feited his freedom. Only the person who risks is truly free.”― Leo F. Buscaglia If you truly want to be in another league of DJs. If you really want raving fans and clients who can’t stop referring you, you must a learn how to fail. Big name comedians know this well. They will take new material and risk a joke failing at smaller unknown clubs before putting it into a Comedy Central special. Weddings are not the place to learn from failure, but there are places you can do this at. DJ at skating rinks for free and try out new interactions. Read stories at the local library for kids, or even some schools that are looking for guest classroom readers. Get a group of your DJ buddies over and have a mix night. I have done all of these. I love this quote. “To allow oneself to fail is the ultimate riskreward.”- Dean Carlson. I can’t say that I particularly love to fail, but I love the results that happen when I do. When I fail I learn all kinds of things, I learn what to and not to do. I learn limits and boundaries I didn’t even realize I had. But most of all I grow faster, because if I continue to fail over and over doing the same thing that’s just insane. So here is the action step. Pull out your calendar and block off some time to fail in the next 2 days. Find some way to look at what you do differently. What really cinched it for my girlfriend when I was talking to her about failure was the baseball analogy. The best hitters in the world fail 2 out of 3 times. Good Luck and great shows. Dean Carlson can be reached at deancarlson@discjockeynews.com.
Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018 • Page 15
Top 50 Charts for JULY 2018
The Weekly Printable Charts (Top 50 and Recurrent) are available at http://www.discjockeynews.com/charts for Subscribers Pop 1 POST MALONE Psycho f/Ty Dolla $ign 2 BAZZI Mine 3 ARIANA GRANDE No Tears Left To Cry 4 MARSHMELLO & ANNE-MARIE Friends 5 ZEDD/MAREN MORRIS/GREY The Middle 6 CAMILA CABELLO Never Be The Same 7 TAYLOR SWIFT Delicate 8 SHAWN MENDES In My Blood 9 LAUV I Like Me Better 10 CALVIN HARRIS & DUA LIPA One Kiss 11 DRAKE Nice For What 12 MAROON 5 Girls Like You f/Cardi B 13 DUA LIPA IDGAF 14 SELENA GOMEZ Back To You 15 HALSEY Alone f/Big Sean, Stefflon Don 16 IMAGINE DRAGONS Whatever It Takes 17 CARDI B I Like It f/Bad Bunny/J Balvin 18 KHALID X NORMANI Love Lies 19 CHARLIE PUTH Done For Me f/Kehlani 20 FOSTER THE PEOPLE Sit Next To Me 21 POST MALONE Better Now 22 BACKSTREET BOYS Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 23 ALESSIA CARA Growing Pains 24 5 SECONDS OF SUMMER Youngblood 25 LIAM PAYNE & J BALVIN Familiar 26 JENNIFER LOPEZ Dinero f/DJ Khaled & Cardi B 27 ENRIQUE IGLESIAS Move To Miami f/Pitbull 28 MADISON BEER Home With You 29 BIG BOI All Night 30 BRYCE VINE Drew Barrymore 31 KENDRICK LAMAR & SZA All The Stars 32 ZAYN Let Me 33 IN REAL LIFE Tattoo (How ‘Bout You) 34 NF Lie 35 BTS FAKE LOVE 36 MEGHAN TRAINOR Let You Be Right 37 DENNIS LLOYD Nevermind 38 NICKI MINAJ Bed f/Ariana Grande 39 PHARRELL WILLIAMS/C. CABELLO Sangria Wine 40 SABRINA CARPENTER Almost Love 41 KYGO Remind Me To Forget f/Miguel 42 JULIA MICHAELS Jump f/Trippie Redd 43 LOGIC & MARSHMELLO Everyday 44 CASH CASH Finest Hour f/Abir 45 CHILDISH GAMBINO This Is America 46 NOAH CYRUS & MAX Team 47 NOTD I Wanna Know f/Bea Miller 48 MIGOS Walk It Talk It f/Drake 49 NICKY JAM & J BALVIN X 50 SAM SMITH Pray f/Logic Urban 1 DRAKE Nice For What 2 ELLA MAI Boo’d Up 3 CARDI B Be Careful 4 BLOCBOY JB Look Alive f/Drake 5 CHILDISH GAMBINO This Is America 6 CARDI B I Like It f/Bad Bunny/J Balvin 7 RICH THE KID Plug Walk 8 DRAKE God’s Plan 9 J. COLE KOD 10 MIGOS Walk It Talk It f/Drake 11 TORY LANEZ B.I.D (Bust it Down) 12 TK KRAVITZ Ocean f/Jacquees 13 KING COMBS & CHRIS BROWN Love You Better 14 LIL BABY Yes Indeed f/Drake 15 JHENE AIKO Sativa f/Rae Sremmurd 16 NICKI MINAJ Chun-Li
17 LIL PUMP Esskeetit 18 MIGUEL Come Through And Chill 19 BLOCBOY JB Shoot 20 HOODCELEBRITYY Walking Trophy 21 G-EAZY 1942 f/Yo Gotti & YBN Nahmir 22 QUEEN NAIJA Medicine 23 DEREZ DE’SHON Fed Up 24 TYGA Taste f/Offset 25 KANYE WEST Yikes 26 YELLA BEEZY That’s On Me 27 THE CARTERS Apesh*t 28 TANK When We 29 LIL BABY All Of A Sudden f/Moneybagg Yo 30 SWAE LEE Guatemala f/Slim Jxmmi 31 TRAVIS SCOTT Watch f/Kanye/Lil Uzi Vert 32 FAMOUS DEX Japan 33 JANELLE MONAE I Like That 34 POST MALONE Ball For Me f/Nicki Minaj 35 BRENT FAIYAZ Gang Over Luv 36 YOUNG THUG Anybody f/Nicki Minaj 37 JAMIE RAY 16 38 JAY ROCK Win 39 LIL DICKY Freaky Friday f/Chris Brown 40 DJ ESCO Chek f/Future 41 YG F/2 CHAINZ, BIG SEAN, NICKI Big Bank 42 YBN NAHMIR Bounce Out With That 43 MOUSE AND LEVEL I Bet U Won’t 44 YOUNG SCOOTER Jugg King 45 RICH HOMIE QUAN Changed 46 BELLY What You Want f/The Weeknd 47 1PLAYY NASCAR 48 CASANOVA Go Bestfriend f/ G-Eazy & RTK 49 DIPLO Welcome To The Party f/Zhavia 50 JEREMIH & TY DOLLA $IGN The Light Adult Contempory 1 ED SHEERAN Perfect 2 MAX Lights Down Low f/Gnash 3 PORTUGAL. THE MAN Feel It Still 4 P!NK What About Us 5 BEBE REXHA Meant To Be f/F.G.L. 6 ZEDD/MAREN MORRIS/GREY The Middle 7 CAMILA CABELLO Havana f/Young Thug 8 IMAGINE DRAGONS Thunder 9 TAYLOR SWIFT Delicate 10 MAROON 5 Wait 11 JOHN SPLITHOFF Sing To You 12 CALUM SCOTT You Are The Reason 13 HALL & OATES Philly Forget Me Not w/Train 14 IMAGINE DRAGONS Whatever It Takes 15 SHAWN MENDES In My Blood 16 U2 Love Is Bigger Than Anything.. 17 BACKSTREET BOYS Don’t Go Breaking My Heart 18 CAMILA CABELLO Never Be The Same 19 MEGHAN TRAINOR No Excuses 20 CELINE DION Ashes 21 P!NK Beautiful Trauma 22 LOUIS YORK Slow Motion 23 DUA LIPA New Rules 24 GREGORY DARLING My Sleeping Heart 25 FOSTER THE PEOPLE Sit Next To Me 26 LESLIE COURS MATHER We Are America 27 THE VILLAINS Love Is 28 MACKLEMORE Good Old Days f/Kesha 29 HALSEY Bad At Love 30 JASON MRAZ Have It All 31 CHER Fernando 32 CHARLIE PUTH Done For Me f/Kehlani 33 KEALA SETTLE This Is Me
34 CHRISTINA AGUILERA/DEMI LOVATO Fall In Line 35 ARIANA GRANDE No Tears Left To Cry 36 SELENA GOMEZ X MARSHMELLO Wolves 37 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE Say Something f/C Stapleton 38 ANDRA DAY Rise Up 39 ARIANA GRANDE Dangerous Woman 40 JASON ALDEAN You Make It Easy 41 ALESSIA CARA How Far I’ll Go 42 CHEAT CODES No Promises f/Demi Lovato 43 JOSH GROBAN Granted 44 KELLY CLARKSON It’s Quiet Uptown 45 THE CHAINSMOKERS Don’t Let Me Down f/Daya 46 ARIANA GRANDE & JOHN LEGEND Beauty And The Beast 47 ARIANA GRANDE Side To Side f/Nicki Minaj 48 TRAIN Call Me Sir f/Cam/Travie McCoy 49 TRISHA YEARWOOD Broken 50 HAILEE STEINFELD & GREY Starving f/Zedd Country 1 DAN + SHAY Tequila 2 MORGAN WALLEN Up Down f/Florida Georgia Line 3 KENNY CHESNEY Get Along 4 BLAKE SHELTON I Lived It 5 JAKE OWEN I Was Jack (You Were Diane) 6 D L MURPHY/K CHESNEY Everything’s Gonna Be Alright 7 KEITH URBAN Coming Home f/Julia Michaels 8 MORGAN EVANS Kiss Somebody 9 CHRIS LANE Take Back Home Girl f/T. Kelly 10 DIERKS BENTLEY Woman, Amen 11 BRETT YOUNG Mercy 12 CARRIE UNDERWOOD Cry Pretty 13 DYLAN SCOTT Hooked 14 LADY ANTEBELLUM Heart Break 15 THOMAS RHETT Life Changes 16 JASON ALDEAN Drowns The Whiskey f/M.Lambert 17 FLORIDA GEORGIA LINE Simple 18 SAM HUNT Downtown’s Dead 19 LINDSAY ELL Criminal 20 LUKE BRYAN Sunrise, Sunburn, Sunset 21 OLD DOMINION Hotel Key 22 JUSTIN MOORE Kinda Don’t Care 23 CHASE RICE Three Chords & The Truth 24 COLE SWINDELL Break Up In The End 25 CHRIS JANSON Drunk Girl 26 CARLY PEARCE Hide The Wine 27 SUGARLAND Babe f/Taylor Swift 28 BROTHERS OSBORNE Shoot Me Straight 29 LANCO Born To Love You 30 MAREN MORRIS Rich 31 RUSSELL DICKERSON Blue Tacoma 32 CHRIS YOUNG Hangin’ On 33 KELSEA BALLERINI I Hate Love Songs 34 KIP MOORE Last Shot 35 GARTH BROOKS All Day Long 36 JIMMIE ALLEN Best Shot 37 MITCHELL TENPENNY Drunk Me 38 TRENT HARMON You Got ‘Em All 39 MIDLAND Burn Out 40 KANE BROWN Lose It 41 CRAIG CAMPBELL See You Try 42 TYLER RICH The Difference 43 CHRIS STAPLETON Millionaire 44 AARON WATSON Run Wild Horses 45 RODNEY ATKINS Caught Up In The Country 46 LITTLE BIG TOWN Summer Fever 47 JORDAN DAVIS Take It From Me 48 TRAVIS DENNING David Ashley Parker From... 49 ERIC PASLAY Young Forever 50 GRANGER SMITH You’re In It
PAGE 16 • Disc Jockey News • JULY 2018